Hooliganism
by madagascar doormouse
Summary: [AU] A group of troubled youngsters are stuck at a bootcamp for the summer. Or so their parents would like to think. yuriku, clorith [rating for language and drugs]
1. deep blue funk

It was desolate, barren. Eight empty bunks in a white-washed room. Occasional graffiti littered the walls and beds but other than that it was a completely impersonal space. Riku hadn't even committed the crime he'd been sent here for. Camp Perseverance it was called, for troubled youngsters. Riku didn't feel troubled, but, do the insane know they're crazy?  
He dumped his bag in the crate at the bottom of his allocated bunk sighing morosely. He needed to get outside, maybe it was a little less depressing there. 

A month ago Riku had been accused of stabbing some guy he'd never met. Unfortunately for him he'd just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The witnesses at his court had been unconvinced by his story, his friends had been disgusted and his parents had panicked and sent him here for the summer.  
It was barely any better outside, the ground was mostly mud with only a few shoots of grass managing to burst through. The camp was almost in the middle of nowhere, just off a highway. Surrounded by ancient oak forest it was well known for being inescapable. He wandered towards the nearest trees for some of the shade thankful for the activity-free day he'd been given to settle in.

He was around 5 metres from the first of the massive 80ft oaks when something solid hit him hard in the head.  
"Oww!" He exclaimed loudly. He was searching the skyline dumbfounded when he heard manic giggling from up among the branches. The teen peered through the boughs to see a small figure and a thin cloud of smoke.  
Another object which he identified as an acorn hit him in the head.  
"Hey! Stop it!" He shouted up, annoyed. A hail of the round seeds flew perfectly aimed at him, followed by another unruly laugh.

"Come on up!" a chirpy voice called down. "It's easy!" Irritated and nursing a sore head he started to pull himself up the massive tree branch by branch. 40ft up he reached his assailant, a girl who looked a few years younger than him perched on the branch, one hand tugging distractedly on her cropped raven hair and the other holding a lit joint.  
"Hi," she said smiling and releasing her hair to give him a little wave. "you must be new, what're you here for?" He stuttered, shocked by her boldness and finally replied,

"I didn't do it - I was wrongly accused."

"Yeah, that's what they all say." She assured him jokingly. "Wanna toke?" The girl asked offering Riku her badly packed joint.

"N-no thanks."

"You don't smoke?"

"No."

"Cute." She responded childishly. The girl began to absently hum to herself. Off-key.

"So," Riku started, only wanting to make the evil humming stop. "shouldn't you be at some activity or something?"

"Yeah but I hate hillwalks so I'm skipping it... Hey, what's your name?" Riku wondered at how she could end a simple statement on such a different subject.

"It's Riku."

"Nice." She said. "I'm Yuffie." They sat in a far more companionable silence for a minute or so in which the newly proclaimed Yuffie stubbed out the joint and let it fall to the ground far below.

"KISARAGI?" An angry shout came from the ground.

"Oh fuck, that's me." She muttered, "See ya at dinner." and scrambled down through the thick foliage like some kind of squirrel.

"What a weird little kid." Riku thought aloud, praying to the nearest deity that not everyone here was like that. Unfortunately for him, his prayer had been answered by a god with a sense of humour.

* * *

Well here it is, the first chapter of my first story here on I apologise for the shortness and promise longer chapters to come. I'll be completely amazed if I get any reveiws, amazed but very happy. (hint, hint)  



	2. because success is difficult

When I got to the bottom of that tree I _knew _I was in _deep_ shit. "Third time this week Yuffie." Mr. 'You need to get a hold of your life' told me as he led me towards the main building by the arm.

"I had a sore foot Sir." I tried dutifully.

"You seemed to be doing all right on that tree."

"Bugger…"

We got to the central block the same time as some of the kids were arriving back from the walk. They were all covered in mud and looked haggard. I struggled not to laugh. It was far less amusing when I was marched up the stairs to my councilor's room. I waited outside until Mr. 'You only have yourself to blame' left and I was called in.

The councilor was a massive woman called Audry who spoke to everyone as if they had a mental age of two. She was really pretty revolting to look at, layers of fat spilled off the side of her chair and she had atleast five chins.

"Hello there Yuffie." She said gently.

"Hey big Mumma." I replied using the same name for her as all of the kids unlucky enough to be sent here.

"Now Yuffie, I'd prefer it if you called me Audry."

"Too bad." I replied and childishly stuck out my tongue. The huge woman sighed audibly. I picked at my nails as if I was actually interested in getting the dirt out of them. I really wasn't but I'd do anything to make myself less endearing to the staff here.

"I hear you've been skipping your classes again. Would you like to talk about that?"

"Classes? Is that what you're calling them now! More like torture sessions if you ask me."

"Everything on the cirriculum here is aimed to reestablish you as a productive member of society." I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"What complete shit!" I spluttered out between giggles.

"All right then Yuffie. Let's get to the point." Audry said, the smallest of malicious twinkles in her eyes. "Would you like to explain this to me?"

To my horror she was holding up the butt of my joint.

"I don't know anything about that Miss." I declared, hoping I looked innocent.

"It's camp policy that we take the use of recreational drugs very seriously, due to this we are going to have to search your belongings."

So while they invaded my privacy with no regard to my civil rights (I'm sure I've got some sort of right to keeping a stash without people finding out) I was sent off to clean the toilets. I knew exactly what they'd be finding while they took apart my small section of the girl's dorm. I had hidden all my contraband quite well but the staff here was well experienced in finding stuff.

The toilets were disgusting. Other than that there's very little to say about them. A pool of vomit sat in the middle of the floor and from it's dried state it seemed to have been there for a good little while. Gross.

Everyone rejects responsibility for the toilets. The cleaners claim it's the janitor's job and the jannies say the same about the cleaners. Management it would seem lives somewhere that no mail gets delivered to. I'd been given a brush and some cleaning stuff to scrub with but on discovering that this was highly flammable I hid it in my jacket for use on a later date. Oh what fun I could have.

After around fifteen bored minutes of contemplating my own escape through the vents I was overjoyed to see Tifa (my fellow detainee) make an entrance.

"**BOOBS!**" I screeched, leaping up and bounding over to her. "That bunch of sadistic bastards have been torturing me! I have _never_ been so happy to see you!"

"Where have you been Yuff-yuff? We were looking all over for you!" My friend replied, quite used to my 'enthusiastic' greetings. "Did you skive off the hillwalk?"

"Course I did silly, you know I can't stand those things." I scolded fondly. "I went and met a nice little newbie called Riku up a tree instead."

"So what are you doing in here?"

"Got caught with a joint. Now those little cunts are going through my stuff." At this she grimaced apologetically.

"Nasty." Tifa's great that way, she always knows how to react to any kind of emotion. When someone's happy she's happy, when you're pissed off she knows when to leave you alone and she never gets embarrassed if someone bursts into tears. I'm not like that, I get all quirky and annoying. Not that I don't have my own little kind of Yuffie-love; it's just that it's not worth much.

Teef got sent here for beating the shit out of some ugly turd that called her mum a whore. Justified violence if you ask me – unfortunately of course they don't. The guy ended up in hospital and needed surgery to reconstruct his face. I hope for his sake that he didn't get them to put it back how it was before. Of course I don't actually know if he was ugly or not but he was a bad guy so he probably was, because, that's what fairy tales say – and everyone knows they're always right.

I was just about to strike up a friendly converstaion with Tifa, perhaps about the weather or how life was treating her these days, unfortunately Audry arrived to take me to my impending doom.

* * *

The second I arrived back in her office I knew I was completely busted – sitting on her desk were the three seemingly innocent objects that were throwing me in at the deep end.

"Take a seat please Yuffie." Audry said forcing a smile onto her face; it really looked more like a grimace of extreme pain. I pulled out the chair opposite where she sat and prepared myself for the worst. "Now, each student at camp perseverance receives a list of all contraband items before arriving, it is then read out again to you during the initial search of your bag. Therefore there is no excuse for what we've found." Desperately, I grabbed at my last shot at an excuse.

"But Miss, none of these things are on that list! I don't understand Miss."

"Well Yuffie, neither did we until we took a closer look." Here she picked up a seemingly innocent Polaroid camera and removed the film. Stuffed into the metal rectangle that would normally hold ink and paper was an assortment of packaged condoms. "In your room we found contraceptives of strawberry, toffee and chocolate flavour," I unwittingly slumped down into my chair in utter defeat. Audry then picked up a pink plastic bottle of what claimed to be face moisturizer, she took a small glass out of a shelf on her desk and poured some of the bottles contents into it. Holding it under my nose for me to smell she proudly proclaimed "demerarah rum," She was saving the worst till last. What a sadistic bitch… My councilor picked up a small teddy bear and turning it upside down opened the small secret flap on its bum. She reached inside and took out a small plastic bag stuffed with grass. She opened it and immediately the room filled with the tangy smell of cannabis. My mouth started to water. "And dried marijuana leaves. You Yuffie Kisaragi, are in a lot of trouble." Sounding rather uncomfortable as she un-stylishly finished her proclamation she said, "As soon as we inform your mother. For now you should go to dinner."

Yuk. Dinner. Almost as bad as staying in Audry's office. There was no menu here, Only reconstituted vomit on a plate. I quickly walked down one of the many corridors contemplating setting off the fire-alarm as I passed it – thinking of the trouble I was already in I decided against it.

I soon reached the canteen and swung both doors open going for the most moodily dramatic entrance I could. Mismatched youngsters and social rejects looked round but seeing it was me dismissed this as normal Yuffie behaviour. As I stalked towards a table of the few friends I made here a grungy red-headed youth stopped me.

"Hey brat," he started to ask "I heard you got caught?" It was clearly a question and not a statement.

"Word sure gets round fast." I muttered confirming Reno's suspicions.

"That sucks."

"Yeah." I agreed and carried on towards the seat I had in my sights.

I slumped down on the gray plastic chair next to Tifa and pouting for all my worth whined "You had to tell everyone I'm in shit, didn't you boobs." She looked over at me skeptically and said (as more of a statement than a question)

"You don't mind do you?" The truth was I really didn't. So that was it – argument over. It's much more boring that way. I was just working myself into a self-pitying state of depression when I heard one of my fellow captives voices jokingly tell me to

"Turn that frown upside down."

"Oh shush Cloud" I told him – but I already felt a smile creeping back onto my face. Cloud's not the kind of guy I'd hang around with back home. He's a big mega-goth and where I'm from he'd be discredited as a missioner. But when you get sent to an evil death camp like this you can't really be too fussy. After I got to know him it turned out he was pretty sound. Looking round at my table of friends I have to admit that they're mostly the kind of guys all my in-crowd would quite enjoy kicking the shit out of.

There's Vinnie – the loser who sits in the corner, knows all the answers and never gets your jokes, Lulu – who's queen of darkness display is matched only by Clouds and Aerith – the head cooks daughter who gets stuck here throughout the Summer.

We are friends through necessity only and if we were ever to mee-… My thoughts were cut off as I proudly announced

"My newbie sense is tingling!" I then stood up and unabashedly called across the room "RIKU! Come and sit over here!" as I gestured towards the seat on my other side from Tifa. Much to my delight he changed his course across the room and started heading towards me.

I don't know what it is about Riku. But even now I'm thinking he could be just what I need to put the most magnificent escape plan of all time into place and break out of here. I might even manage to have a little fun while I'm at it.

* * *

Haha! I posted a second chapter. It still isn't very long (I promise longer chapters when things have gotten a little more interesting). I'm sorry if this chapter seemed clunky and awkward. That and microsoft word stopping me from putting in any pagebreaks made it not too good.

Big 'HOORAH!' and ferret kissies to all my wonderful reviewers.

griffin14

vampiegurl

Zero

war4freak4

Annjirika


	3. it makes sense if you ignore everything ...

Forogt to include this before, so lets just say this counts for all chapters. Anything you recognize belongs to sqare, anything else (AKA: anything crappy) comes from my own twisted mind.

* * *

I usually get up at about seven fifteen, except on Wednesdays when I'm rudely awakened by the rubbish-men. This morning was like a Wednesday only thirty-seven times worse. I was having a glorious dream about the last two weeks (my arrest, conviction and punishment) only being a dream, and so when I awoke to the sound of a foghorn and the curses of nineteen other young men the moment of confusion I felt was blissful. 

Then I remembered everything. Evil rehabilitation camp, crazy girl up tree, dinner that looked like puke on a plate and 5am awakenings. Oh joy.

People around me are coming to life, groaning and rolling out of their beds, I try very hard not to notice the many scars which adorn my room mates bodies. Party because I dread to think of how they got them and partly because I don't want rumors about my sexuality only on my second day here.

As I begin to kick off my scratchy blanket I can't help but be thankful for the small blessing that is summer. If the sun weren't heating the simple dorm there'd be no way in hell I'd get out of this bed. I lean over to the crate that contains the few personal belongings and items of clothing I was allowed to bring and grab a pair of worn denim jeans and a black T-shirt. Reluctantly I also retrieve the mandatory gray jumper that identifies me as an unwilling guest at camp perseverance.

Breakfast here is eaten in the small kitchens attached to each 'cabin' as they are laughingly called. We each receive a piece of plain toast and a glass of orange juice, a meal that just barely reaches government regulations. I sit and chew the dry toast opposite from Cloud in some kind of twisted companionship. Vincent sits down and makes a small nodding gesture towards me. This is the first time he's acknowledged my existence. For some unbeknownst reason I suddenly feel extremely self-conscious as I break the silence asking

"So, umm… What are we meant to be doing today?"

"It's Thursday, right?" Cloud says, looking to me and then Vincent for affirmation.

"Yeah." I answer, wondering how mind numbing this place can be that it makes you forget what day it is.

"We're rebuilding the Western Wall then, it's been a project for the last month or something."

"How did it get knocked down?" I dread the answer expecting stories of riots and mass escape attempts.

"It was a storm. Probably the only thing here that's ever been destroyed unintentionally." I can't think of an answer so I go back to my toast.

Afterwards we are given various low quality foodstuffs and are instructed to make ourselves a packed lunch, everyone else seems to know exactly what they're doing. I try to seem competent; I hate to feel left out. I've been left feeling like a strawberry or a kiwi or whatever that expression is since Sora and Kairi got together. It was bad enough with my own best friends but now here with complete strangers I don't think I can handle it. Especially not this early in the morning.

A thought jumps into my head and I want it to go away because it makes me feel like a three year old but I've thought it and it's out there and…

'_I wanna go home…' _but I can't think about that because-

"Awright kids, time ta go." I can't think about that because it's time to go build a wall now. Mimicking everyone else I push back my chair and follow the middle aged man in charge of our dorm. The weather is great, even in summer its not usually this good. I ask Cloud

"How far is it?"

"Just over there, we've got to pick up bricks and cement first though." The whole group heads towards a shed where we're each given a wheelbarrow of bricks and a bucket of cement, as I wheel it towards the derelict wall now in sight my arms are screaming in protest. I ignore them; nobody else seems to be struggling after all.

People start organizing themselves so they're working with friends, I see Cloud and Vincent walking along the side of the wall with their wheelbarrows towards a large group of girls who've just arrived. Despite my heavy load I speed up to catch them, if there's one thing I really need here it's people I can talk to.

Quickly we meet with Tifa and Yuffie, the latter giving me an odd feeling of happiness combined with utter desperation in my stomach.

"Rikkidoodles!" She shreiks, Tifa is chuckling at her childish display, I sigh as if annoyed but we all know I don't mean it.

"Hi Yuffie, Tifa,"

"Hey, you lot, get to work!" A supervisor shouts at us, Yuffie opens her mouth and it's obvious she's going to shout back

"Yuffie, don't. It isn't worth it." Cloud interrupts her. To my amazement she closes her mouth. She angrily slops cement onto the wall slamming a brick down on top so it squidges out from underneath. I would _not_ like to get on the wrong side of Yuffie.

For the first hour or so people worked in near silence, but soon enough the heat started to makes us lazy, luckily the instructors were only human, so they all buggered off. God knows what for, probably a game of cards and a wank.

Talking casually while we worked what struck me as a particularly odd conversation arose between Tifa and Yuffie. They were discussing weather or not having been coated in cement with only an air-hole you could survive.

"I'm telling you Yuffie, the cement would stop you from being able to inflate your lungs! You'd suffocate!"

"No, no, you're wrong. You don't need to move your chest to breathe."

"Uh_-uh."_

"Yuh-huh."

"Uh_-uh"_

"Yuh-huh."

"You would drown in the cement before it was even set." Vincent said from the other side of the wall (which still only came up to his waist).

"Oh Vinnie, you're no fun." Yuffie scolded, but she was smiling. She lidted another brick and slopped cement onto the wall. I jumped back as it splashed up into my face.

"Hey!" I said indignantly "Be careful."

"Aww, I'm sorry Riku." She leant over the wall and wiped it off my cheek and as she did whispered "I need to talk to you, meet me here at 10, bring Cloud." Then very much as if she'd said nothing at all she put the brick down and reached for another. I opened my mouth about to ask her what for but she immediately silenced me with a glare.

'_Jesus, some people…'_

_

* * *

_  
I have almost everything planned now. I just have to get Cloud and Riku to agree, Cloud should be easy enough but I need to think of some line that'll get Riku on my side.

Riku's going to claim the shed's been left open and get the keys, then he's gonna steal a few maps, a compass and anything else I tell him to grab. Then, at dinner (the one time of day all the qualified stall are busy) we're gonna make a break for the outside. That's where Cloud comes into play, he got sent here for stealing multiple cars. In other words he's a very accomplished hotwirer. After that I'm not sure, we need to head for civilization I guess. I have friends all over the country from back when I went traveling with my dad in the summer. Even after I stopped seeing him lots of the people I met kept in touch and they all still seem pretty sound. I'm not entirely sure where we are, everyone knows were up in the North though, and the South is far more populated, so we should probably head down the way. I wish I hadn't skived so much Geography… I think we can probably get a train or hitch a ride, I hope so. I don't wanna walk all the way. We'll have to steal some money. I'm quite an accomplished theif but I don't usually go for money – but it's not like I haven't before.

I'm not proud of the things I've done, but I don't regret them either. Shoplifting is a victimless crime, when it comes to drug taking, drinking and skipping school I can choose to screw up my own life if I want to and anyway, dope isn't really bad for you, neither are mushrooms. Fair enough, I've stolen people's money, I've gotten into numerous fights, smashed windows and destroyed cars, but… I'm young and its societies fault? I'm not sure about my excuse for those yet, I'm sure there is one though…

We won't be able to stay here at ten, it'll still be light. We can go into the edge of the wood. If we're too obvious the eleven o'clock round will catch us. That's one of the reasons I'm not taking Tifa and Vinnie, sure – the more the merrier but we'd be so easy to spot. I'd go alone if I could but I need Riku and Cloud if this is gonna work. Of course I'd like to take all my friends, it makes me feel really bad. Just cause I'm a delinquent doesn't mean I don't feel guilty about leaving my friends behind, it's just not practical.

"Yuff, you alright?" Tifa asks, snapping me out of my daze.

"Yeah, just thinking."

"Try not to dear it gives you wrinkles." We both giggle. Normally we'd get funny looks but people know us here, this is my third year, it's Tifa's first but hanging round with me has gotten her lots of attention, that or her double D's. I tried to escape last year too, I ended up breaking my leg and getting caught. It sucked.

Wall building slowed down considerably as the morning wore on, arms were tiring and it was getting hotter by the hour. Many people were just siting around, having and chat and waiting for it to be lunchtime. We were still kinda working, if a brick every ten minutes counts as work. Cloud and Tifa were explaining to Riku that it's not usually this easy but Wednesdays are a skive.

At about noon the instructors came back to supervise lunchtime. They used to just come, tell us we could eat and then leave but people always got into food fights so…

Eagerly we take out our plastic bags of food. Lunch is the best meal of the day cause you get to make your own. I have a cheese sandwich, and apple and some more of their low quality orange juice. If you wet to any normal gathering of adolescents, especially among the girls you would find people scrutinizing their food more than eating it. They'd leave about half of it too, and there'd probably be some fat kid who ate whatever anyone else left. Not here. I think we could probably set some kinda record for the quickest mass eating of packed lunches. Basically the rule is you eat fast or somebody else eats it for you. I'm about half way through my sandwich when I notice Riku has only taken a few bites of his. He has tuna. I love tuna…

"Quit staring at my lunch Yuffie, you're freaking me out!" I realize I've been gazing at his food.

"Why? Does it scare you?"

"No, it just freaks me out."

"Only doing my job." I tell him, trademark grin splitting my face.

"I'd much rather you didn't…" Riku mumbled taking another bite of his sandwich. I put down my sandwich and prop myself up on an elbow, raise one eyebrow and say

"Are you suggesting that my amusing behaviour doesn't please and entertain you?"

"And what if I am?" Riku asks me, smiling - he's just asking for a wedgie.

"Then you have to suffer the consequences." I tell him as if this is obvious. I've already given Tifa the signal.

"And what might these consequences be-eeaaah!" Tifa's pulled the back of his boxers right up to his head. Seeing the look on Rikus face makes me collapse back to the ground in laughter. We even got a chuckle out of Vincent.

My entire vision is screened by the flawless blue of the sky, I know far over above the woods there are some of those wispy little clouds but I can't see them so they may as well not exist. Wisps of grass tickle the sides of my face and I wish I had some alcohol so I didn't care so much. If all goes to plan I should have some soon enough I suppose.

I'm not worried about them talking to my mum, about half the time she can't remember she has a daughter, the other half she just doesn't answer the phone. Despite the similarities between us I have vowed to _never_ end up like my mother.

* * *

We spent the next few hours working extremely leisurely until the instructors came back and told us we had free time until group 6C (6C and 6B had been working on the wall today and each group consists on ten boys and ten girls) had a counseling session at four o'clock. I'm in 6C, so is Cloud, Yuffie and Vincent. 

The five of us headed toward the wood on Yuffies orders as we were allowed to leave the wall. The next two hours or so were spent clambering through branches, (this seemed to be by far Yuffies favourite activity) rolling down a small slope 'till we felt sick and generally having a good time. For a detention camp it was really quite idyllic.

We (minus Tifa) turned up for our meeting on time (I was guessing this was quite a rarity). It took place in a grungy common room filled with uncomfortable gray chairs and faux wood tables stacked by the walls. Everyone was sitting on the floor in a vague circle reminding me Primary school 'circle time'. We sat down joining the group just as possibly the biggest woman I have ever seen came in. She pulled out a chair and joined the circle, flaps of her flesh making a quiet squidging noise as she sat down.

"They have to reinforce her chair." Yuffie whispered into my ear leaning over, her breath sending a chill down my spine.

"Now Yuffie, I think you're in quite enough trouble already without talking out of turn." Scolded the woman who I assumed was out councilor. "Now then, if Miss Kisaragi is quite finished we'll get started. First I'd like to welcome our groups newest member, Riku Morrison. Perhaps he'd like to tell us something about himself?" She phrased it as a question but from the way she looked at me I knew fine well it was a command.

"Well… I'm fifteen, an only child and-"

"An available homosexual! Looks like you're in for a treat guys!" Yuffie announced grinning, cutting me off in mid sentence. A tide or laughter carried round the room and I struggled to keep my face its normal shade.

"Alright that's enough. Riku, my names Audry and I'm going to be your councilor during your stay here. If you ever need anything it's me you talk to."

"Okay." I said, staring at my feet utterly embarrassed.

"Right then." Audry began, smoothing her floral skirt "We'll do good thing/bad thing and then talk about our targets for the next week. Cloud, would you like to start?"

I heard him muttering "No." Under his breath, then he sighed and said "A good thing this week was… getting a replacement for the old TV remote. Bad thing was running out of hair gel." His last comment gets a ripple of laughter from round the circle, and I wonder if his hair always flops around his head in a shapeless clump. The group turns their heads to Vincent and after his answer to the next person and the next. Most answers were fairly mundane but a few were obviously trying to make the most of a bad situation by changing the context. Yuffie quite happily told everyone one that her good thing was that 'I'm still not letting the bastards grind me down.' In the end we didn't set any of the target things Audry was talking about because we had to go for dinner. I thought that was a good thing until I remembered the food from last night.

* * *

I wish Cloud and Riku would hurry up, it's getting cold out here. Checking my watch I see it's already ten past ten. If there's something I can't stand its lateness. I'll either turn up on time or not at all, I'm _never _late. Huddling further into my jacket I shift on the low section of the wall I'm perched on. 

'_What's taking them so long? They better not have gotten caught, if they can't deal with this then what'll they be like on the run!' _Peering out across the field I still can't see them, and suddenly I feel deeply suspicious.

'_What if Riku's decided not to turn up? What if he hasn't told Cloud at all?' _ I'm ready to get incredibly angry and start plotting my evil revenge (I specialize in evil revenges) when I see two silhouetted shapes coming towards me. I'm pretty certain it's them, if it isn't I'm screwed. Lethargically I stand up and wave my arms, signaling for them to hurry up. They speed up to a jog and satisfied I sit back down to wait, my whole stay here I've been waiting and there's not long to go now, just another day and I'll finally be free.

"What took you so long?" I ask them as they arrive, looking slightly out of breath from the run across the field.

"Did you want us to get caught or not?" Cloud replied defensively.

"Alright, alright, don't get your knickers in a twist. No time for talk anyway, we can't stay here, too obvious. Quiet now, we'll go to the woods." Quickly we walk through the uncut grass by the wall until we reach a sparse few trees and eventually disappear under the leafy canopy. Now relaxed I sit on a fallen tree and gesture for them to sit on a large rock opposite. Riku looks uncertain, peering out from under his oddly coloured hair but sits down, seeming pleased that Cloud is willing to talk for him.

"So Yuff, this better be good, what have you got us out here for?"

"I've got a proposition for you."

"Oh no you don't," Cloud immediately tells me, putting his hands up as if to ward me off. "That's exactly what you told me last year right before you tried to get me sent to jail!"

"But Cloud," I whine, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes "I've got everything planned out this time, I swear it won't be like last year, this time it's gonna work, please just listen?" Looking skeptical, Clouds opens his mouth to decline but Riku beats him to it.

"Wait a minute, what're you talking about?"

"Last year we tried to escape, it was Yuffies idea and the less said about the results the better." Cloud answers, glaring at me.

"Oh Cloud you know you love me really." I tell him, a sarcastic smirk on my face, I then turn to Riku looking sincere – if this doesn't work I might as well give up. "Riku, I have a lawyer friend who lives just a quick train ride from the nearest town. If we could get in touch with her I know she could get you an appeal." Immediately, just from the brief flash of hope and desperation in his eyes I know he's on my side. As if to prove it he turns to Cloud and says

"Well, we might as well hear her plan… I mean, we're out here already and you never know, it might even be coherent." I growl, friendly-like and tell him

"You'd better not be insulting my superior intellect."

"Me?" He asks, feigning shock, "I would never to something like that." I'm about to summon up a witty comeback when Cloud gives me a little nod. Between friends it's easy to tell he's saying he's ready to hear my plan. What starts as just a little smile slowly edges across my face into a full-blown grin. Looks like we're in business.

* * *

Ack! This took ages, much longer than I'd hoped. But I was in hospital and... sadly that's my only coherent excuse and it's still not a very good one. I got everything I wanted into this chapter but I'm still not pleased with the quality. Meh. Big thanks to all my reviewers, especially Bracken-Fae who reminded me this chapter wouldn't write itself. (one day I'll invent a self-writing story and make a fortune) All that's left to say is that I'll love you forever if you reveiw...Please?

Shawna: thanks sooo much for pointing that out to me. In my original document there were page breaks between changes in POV. (I think quickedit deleted them >. ) Hope it makes more sense now.


	4. with friends like these who needs

Don't own any of it (other than plot 'n stuff), wish I did but boo hoo I don't and oh well I'm over it.

* * *

I'm worried about Yuffie, she's too quiet, she won't look me in the eye, even more worrying, she's actually eating one of the canteen dinners. Maybe I'm just paranoid but I think she might be planning something big, no doubt she's mad enough. I try and catch her eye across the grey plastic table but her gaze keeps flicking between the large wall clock, Riku and Cloud. 

Now that I think about it she's been strange all day, avoiding me, Aerith and Vincent while constantly in deep discussion with her oldest and newest friends at this camp. I haven't had a chance to talk to her all day and now I realize there's a big secret I'm not in on that's making me really nervous.

Both hands on the clock hit six and my three friends' exchange a final look, then push back their chairs and stand up, the hall falls silent. Yuffie opens her mouth to say what knowing her will be a little prepared piece, but a stern voice from the staff table interrupts her,

"Don't even think about it, we had all the locks automated after last time." An echoing click goes round the doors and windows as they're fastened into place by remote control.

"Fuck," Yuffie mutters, but rather than despairing as we all expect her to do she elbows Cloud, "Time for plan B." she tells him. Cloud reaches into his black Doc Marten and retrieves a small object which I quickly recognise as a kitchen knife, my heart quickens slightly; if he's just doing what Yuffie's told him to then I don't think it's possible to overestimate what's coming next. He sidles over to Aeriths seat and murmurs something into her ear, then he holds the knife to her neck while she stands up and silently moves next to him, I can see exactly where this is going.

"Go an open the door then." Yuffie says unsuccessfully trying to look exasperated, she knows she's won now. The staff quickly begins a heated discussion in hushed tones while the rest of us sit enthralled, but I can only feel a deep ache inside myself. For the first time today Yuffie actually looks at me, she's ashamed (a very rare occurrence for Yuffie) and I'm utterly betrayed. She doesn't want me with her, some fucking friend 'eh?

Then I notice stuff's started happening again, there's another click as the doors are unlocked and quickly Cloud leads Aerith (still at knife point) and Riku towards the exit. Still Yuffie's watching me apologetically, trying to get at me with puppy-dog-eyes,

"Vinnie, Lulu, I'm really sorry, nothing personal, yeah?" Then she turns to me,

"Boobs, you know I lub ya' tons, but it just wouldn't work, I hope you don't hate me." Then with a quick wave to everyone else and a flirty wink to Reno she turned and ran to catch up with her fellow escapees. The retreating image of her jogging down that dingy hallway was the last I ever saw of Yuffie Kisaragi.

* * *

I catch up with the others, Cloud immediately giving me a look for taking so long but I ignore it. Pulling up next to Aerith I give her the quickest of explanations, "Picking up our bags, choring a van and heading for the highway, if you want we'll drop ya' there and they'll come get you." Next I turn to Riku who knew nothing about "plan B" and tell him "Look, we'd have never gotten out if we hadn't, we wouldn't have hurt her anyway." Strictly speaking this is a lie but he doesn't have to know that. 

We reach the exit and as planned Cloud goes on to the car park while me and Riku (now with Aerith) take a slight detour. Behind some of the slightly dead shrubbery we have hidden three packs containing our clothes and belongings, maps and a small amount of money. Me and Riku grab ours, passing Clouds to Aerith (well, if she gets in on the fun part then she might as well be useful). Heading in Clouds direction I flash Riku a smile, the adrenaline rush is better than any drug I've ever taken and believe me that's good.

Cloud's inside the van we picked out yesterday (the one everyone knows has a broken alarm) he's smashed a front window and opened the door from the inside, sadly no engine noises yet, but I trust him. We pile in, Riku and Aerith clambering into the back while I slide in next to my blonde friend.

"How's it coming?" I ask.

"Not too great, no progress yet." He accidentally snaps the wire he's using and swears, pulling out another. The three of us watch him in deep concentration and for the first time I see the artistic qualities in my friend. He's a tradesman and this is his trade, I'm impressed. About to indulge my curiosity and ask him how it's done I freeze as I hear hurried footsteps across cracked tarmac and a jolt of excitement goes through every bone in my body.

"Cloud, don't mean to rush ya' or anything but hurry up or we're all gonna get busted!" I slam the van door closed and turn to him, now physically shaking. A group of mismatched staff is now no more than 30 meters away, but I am **not **going to let them win, not this time. I'll knee those bastards in the balls and run if I need to but this time I'm getting away. Screw the others cause if it'll help I'll go it alone. I'm such a bitch.

"YUFFIE! We're about to get caught and you're fucking day dreaming!" That doesn't startle me but the simultaneous engine noises and sound of the door being yanked open does. The van jolts into life and we jerk away from the grasp of Mr. "Oh you're in trouble now Yuffie"

We're away, so we might be headed out onto a one way road rather than the open highway but it'll do for me. With a feeling of pure ecstasy I lean out of the still open door and stick my fingers up at the gob-smacked staff.

"FUCK YOU BASTARDS! CAN'T EVEN CONTROL A FEW KIDS!" Cloud grabs me and pulls me back into the seat before I can shout more, also slamming closed the door. "Oh you're no fun." I tell him, unable to keep the smile off my face.

"Yeah but I got the van going." He says, smug.

"I know you got the van going! It's brilliant!" I shriek happily and plant a massive kiss on his cheek. He takes us flying down the empty road at at least ninety-mph while I climb into the back with the others. Before I can even get started Aerith gives me a shock that just for a minute brings me back to earth,

"Wherever you're going, I'm coming with you."

* * *

Yuffie is completely insane. Why didn't I notice that before I agreed to this? Ten minutes ago she was taking her friend hostage and now she's shrieking like a dying parrot cause she's so happy Aerith's coming with us. Maybe there's something wrong with me. Cloud's happy cause he's driving illegally, The girls are squeaking about how much fun we're gonna have and all I can think about is what my gran'll say when she hears about this. I used to be considered fearless back home but here I'm way out my league. 

"C'mon Riku!" Yuffie shouts interrupting my thoughts, "Why don't you look completely and utterly ecstatic? Can you honestly say you've done anything this fun before!" She's actually wondering why I'm not happy, how dense do you get! Like I said, I'm in too deep and I've only just realised it. What an idiot I am.

From the things she's saying to Aerith a lawyer (which is what she promised me) seems to be the last thing on her mind, she's talking about the parties we're gonna have, the massive amounts of beer we're gonna drink and the guys they're gonna pull. The grin on her face is like nothing I've ever seen before, it was the first time I realised that a truly happy Yuffie is quite a scary thing. Before I even notice what she's up to she clambered over and sat herself in my lap,

"Cheer up Riku," She says "You'll be having a great time once we get to civilization, promise."

"I thought we were going to visit this lawyer friend of yours."

"We are, but we might as well enjoy ourselves first, thing is, I've got a few friends in the direction we're headed and they're expecting me." She smiles oh-so-sweetly and I try desperately not to melt.

"All right then, that's fair enough." She gives me an unexpected hug and says,

"You're a great guy Riku, now go an drive for a minute while me and Cloud have a celebratory spliff."

Now wait a minute! She wants me to **drive**! Is she out of her mind? Does she even **have **a mind? But before I can even begin to complain she's pushing me over the barrier and into the front seats with Cloud ushering me over.

"Look-" I begin, but before I can even protest the underage driver tells me,

"The one on the right makes you go fast, the one on the left slows you down, we're running away so we want to go pretty fast. Now I'll only be a minute, don't have a panic attack and don't crash the van." Then after giving me a patronizing pat on the head and a grin he joins Yuffie in the back leaving me to desperately slip into the driver's street.

I took hold of the steering wheel and stepped down on the accelerator, quickly realizing I'd used too much force as we sped forwards in a jerk which jarred us all. I heard a chuckle from the back and Yuffie sarcastically called

"Whoo! You're good at that ain't ya!" Followed by the click of a lighter and a strong smell of marijuana.

"That's just brilliant," I muttered "the only one of us who can drive is partying already." I drove down the long road for some time without to many wobbles (although I do say so myself), remembering how tedious and long this part of my journey had been only a few days ago. But still, I seemed to be doing okay, I even managed to tackle a corner, and so I let myself get cocky. Looking back I have to ask myself why I always do this, my life would be so much simpler if I just controlled my confidence. I'm officially and idiot.

It was the third or fourth twist in the road we came to, and by this point I couldn't wait till I got out onto the open highway, because of this I must have been going at about 100mph. Despite Clouds promise to come back in a few minutes he and Yuffie were now sitting in the back pissing themselves laughing over practically nothing. So still pining for the **real **road I stupidly decided not to slow down for this turn. It was all over very fast, just like it always is, one minute I was confidently driving down the road and the next… well, the next minute I'd misjudged all my timing and sent us straight into a ditch. I'm sure you can imagine the sort of thing that came next.

* * *

Let us recap. Yuffie (the beautiful and wise) comes up with an amazing plan to get us all out of an evil hellhole where we're used for child labor. Thanks to Yuffies extensive planning despite a minor hitch everything is going great. Everyone is enjoying themselves until Yuffie asks one teeny little favor of Riku (the ugly and flatulent) which he of course screws up, not only crashing the van but more importantly spilling the weed that Yuffie had to trade her favourite T-shirt for. 

"RIKU! YOU SHITFACED MOTHERFUCKING MAN-WHORE! WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO!" I screeched, lying on the inside roof of the now upside down van. I began to crawl forwards to where Riku lay, quite ready to rip his balls off when Cloud sat straight up, something akin to fear on his face and announced

"The van's gonna explode. I can hear the petrol leaking." There was no time for words, we'd all seen the scenes in the soaps where the car explodes with everyone in it and for now that was enough to cease any arguments and have us all scrambling to get out the vehicle.

And that's how it was, we stood outside the burning van, bags at our feet, desolation on our faces. Riku approached me like one might approach and angry tiger.

"Yuffie I…"

"Don't even bother Riku."

"I want to apolagise, I've ruined our whole plan and when they come and pick us up it'll be all my fault."

"The plan isn't ruined. We just need to alter things a bit." I told him, he can be so dense.

"Alter things? Like what, we've got no way to get around!"

"Uh, we have legs! Duh." He looks at me in complete shock, jaw trailing on the ground.

"You want us to walk all the way?"

"No, we're going to run. You hear that? That's the other van that's and it's gonna be here any minute, so I recommend we get going." He stood and watched me as I tightened my converse boots and shouldered my pack, then, looking away from me as if I was being ridiculous he turned to see Cloud and Aerith doing the exact same thing. The three of us laughed as a conquered Riku put his rucksack on. I flashed him a grin, adrenaline now building up again and quelling any anger I had. I did a cartwheel purely cause I could and then took off at a sprint.

Running is what I do best and after 2 weeks of under-eating and hard work I was completely in my prime. I could hear the others behind me and I was reassured that they're all a pretty healthy bunch, but I knew they'd never match my speed. The wind whizzed through my hair and it occurred to me that I ended up running way too much. The first time I ever ran away I was five, I managed to get to the park when it started to rain and I went home. By age eight I was skiving off school, chased by enraged teachers and by the time I was 11 I was running from the law with pockets full of stolen goods. So just look at me now, I think in the history of 'stupid stuff Yuffie has done' this probably comes tops, which is pretty impressive. But this makes me so happy, just… this. Breaking all the rules and not caring makes me feel good, I think that's probably been my downfall.

I glance behind me to see my friends trailing, just to taunt them I turn and jog backwards.

I turn back around just in time to see a sharp corner, once again at full speed I almost run straight into the side of a passing truck. I've reached the T-junction and the long awaited highway. More trucks roll past as I wait for the others causing wind to blow through my short hair and I feel so free that I scream, the sound carried away along with all this cargo in transit. I think maybe that's what I am, cargo in transit.

My friends come into sight puffing and panting and I leap onto Cloud in sheer ecstasy, pulling Riku and Aerith over and hugging them while clinging to Clouds waist.

"We did it." Aerith panted, a huge smile adorning her features.

"Practically re-wrote history." I tell her with a contented sigh and as ever a grin on my face.

* * *

Bwahahaha! I'm baaa-aaaaack! I know it took a really really really long time but this is where the real fun begins (along with all the gooey and often not so gooey romantic bits). Seriously though, anyone who's reading this, thanks, and if you've enjoyed it the extra thanks. I've got lots of plans for the up-coming chapters (so many I know I can't use them all) so please bear with me. 

Big 'YAAAY!' for all my reviewers for making me keep going, you of course all get free dohnut vouchers. And remember, if you enjoy this and don't review, you're practically stealing! (only I'm just joking so do not crai)


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